Amazon unveils service to stream games and apps from the cloud to mobile devices

Amazon has announced a new service for developers called AppStream which will allow them to stream apps, games, and desktop interfaces from the cloud to mobile devices.

The company says AppStream will remove the need for developers to develop their apps or games for specific platforms, take away storage constraints that can hamper better apps, and simplify updates with them now taking place in one spot. It's an interesting idea.

AppStream will support Windows, iOS, Android, and Kindle Fire when it launches, and will support Macs some time this year. It has the ability to stream at a maximum of 720P at 30FPS, meaning 1080P supporting devices won't be able to take full advantage of games and the like.

We have to wonder how solid an app or game could stream over the internet. Would a user be able to tell the difference between a locally installed file and one streaming via Amazon's servers?

“Developers have told us that it is frustrating to build and deliver high-end applications for mass-market devices given their hardware constraints. They want to provide spectacular graphics, and responsive, fluid experiences to the largest possible audience regardless of the device a person chooses to use,” said Mike Frazzini, general manager of Amazon Games.

“Amazon AppStream frees developers from these limitations by allowing them to stream their applications to low-end devices as if these consumers were using high-end devices.”

Amazon will first make App Stream available in a limited preview in the US-East Region, with plans for a larger roll-out. It will be interesting to see which popular developers partake in Amazon's service. CCP Games, who is behind EVE Online seems excited about App Stream.

“We’ve had many (wild) dreams about what the amazing character creation experience from EVE Online could become on a high-res touch device,” said Halldor Fannar, CTO of CCP Games. “Amazon AppStream is allowing us to realise those dreams, enabling us to experiment and better understand the opportunity with only a minor up-front investment. There is a very exciting future here.”